Minimize Decision Fatigue with a Morning Routine

The alarm goes off.Should you get up? Or hit the snooze? Hit it twice? Three times?Should you change your clothes? Or put on a robe?Drink water? Or make coffee? Or maybe tea, but which flavor?No wonder you didn't want to get out of bed. You are already experiencing decision fatigue.Psychologists say decision fatigue is the result of the limited amount of brain energy we have available each day to make decisions. Brain energy used to choose between tea and coffee will not be available later for other potentially more important matters.But what if you started your day with a routine that was consistent, intentional, and carefully curated in advance. By you.An example:You get up with the first alarm. Always. You change into house clothes, including shoes. Always.You drink a glass of water. The coffee is already brewing (you programmed the coffee maker the night before).You are ready for the next activity of the day with almost no thought at all.

To create an effective and intentional morning routine, ask yourself:

What does an optimal morning look like for me?

What sequence of events works best for me and my family?

What can I do to make this happen every morning? Or at least most mornings?

Each of us has different goals and unique demands on our time. We are in different seasons of life.The important thing is that the routine is intentional, optimized for your personal goals, and that you execute these simple activities automatically each morning.You have more important decisions to tackle later.